Tris In Divergent

A Breath of Fresh Air

If it is true that we are humans and we learn by making mistakes, then aren’t we all considered a little Divergent? Everyone wants more out of life than what was given to them at birth, similar to Beatrice “Tris” Prior in the novel Divergent by Veronica Roth. Tris, a protagonist and the narrator shows that she is human by making many mistakes but learning from each of these mistakes. Tris survives the extremities of Dauntless initiation and foils the Erudite scheme to destroy the Abnegation faction. She succeeds with Four coaching her, but her true strength and power lies within herself- a Divergent. We seem to be able to associate ourselves with Tris because she changes and grows while transforming into an independent person. Beatrice Prior’s journey throughout Divergent is one that every person can relate to as she

changes and grows while exploring her true identity; breaking the barriers of the Abnegation faction that she was raised in.
At the beginning of the book, Beatrice belongs in the Abnegation faction; the selfless. Members of this faction are not permitted to stand in front of the mirror any day except for the second day of every third month for a haircut which is exactly how the book begins; with Beatrice having her hair trimmed by her mother. She gives us a description of herself when she tells us, “I see a narrow face, wide, round eyes, and a long thin nose {Roth, 2}.” As the story progresses when then see that Beatrice is in fact a lot of things. She is smart, direct, strong-willed, and funny, which are the traits that genuinely make her a great main character. We can tell by her statements that she does not have the greatest self-esteem. She has her faults but appears to learn and prosper from them. Beatrice seems to be on an emotional and physical roller coaster ride, making it difficult for her to pin point which of the five factions she belongs to. We can identify with Beatrice and the journey she is partaking because we are on the same roller coaster ride with juggling work, school, family, and unforeseen situations. The book calls it being Divergent- because she diverges from the societal norm; we consider it being human.
Although we can relate to Beatrice, it would have been easy for us to dislike her from the beginning of the novel.

Like any typical teenager, she makes a lot of “I” statements that makes her seem self-centered such as, “I still look like a little girl [Roth 2].” She is overshadowed by her brother’s, Caleb Prior, selflessness that often led to her thinking of only what she wanted. However, later we are able relate to Tris because we feel a kinship with her, especially when she decides to get her first tattoo: three ravens positioned from her collarbone to her heart, each one representing a member of her family she left behind. The raven tattoo also symbolizes her original fear of choosing a new faction and becoming her own person. Later, she decides to get the Abnegation seal tattooed on her right shoulder which shows her final acceptance of the Abnegation faction being a vital part of her life and who she is. At this point in the novel you can also see that Tris is not about herself. She accepts the role her family plays in her past, but instead of dwelling on that past; she embraces it and moves towards what her future

holds.

In leaving the Abnegation faction, Beatrice becomes a member of Dauntless; the brave faction. Tris has to make life altering changes to come into her own, she needs to prepare herself both physically and mentally to change the girl she was at birth to the woman she needs to be now. She also has to leave the family mentality behind her. “If conflict in Dauntless ends with only one person standing, I am unsure of what this part of initiation will do to me. Will I be Al, standing over a man’s body, knowing I’m the one who put him on the ground, or will I be Will, lying in a helpless heap? And is it selfish for me to crave victory, or is it brave? [Roth, 97-98]. “ She then rejects her plain, Abnegation name of Beatrice and becomes Tris, and changes from her grey, loose clothing into black, fitted clothing; furthermore showing her desire to move forward. If Tris hadn’t taken the first steps toward leaving her old life, she would have eventually found it much harder to fit in with her new faction. It is easy to relate her transition from Abnegation to Dauntless with a woman getting married. In order to survive marriage, you must change your old, single habits to cohere with your spouse’s habits.

To be in the Dauntless faction, you need to have survival instincts. You must possess and demonstrate skills in climbing your way to the top. You will also have to conquer your own personal fears. Dauntless members set themselves apart by rebellious features such as edgy haircuts and tattoos. In the Dauntless faction, not being what society expects is a positive thing, this is why the members work well together; they understand each other. Abnegation is unvaried; however Dauntless is a diverse group of people with different levels of courage and skill, which appealed to Tris’s true nature. “I think of climbing the stairs with the Abnegation, our feet finding the same rhythm, all of us the same. This isn’t like that. We are not the same. But we are, somehow, one [Roth, 223].” You could compare being a Dauntless member to people in the workforce, each employee has different strengths and weaknesses, but together they make a great team- teamwork.

Whether or not you are part of a team, each and every individual has to find their own way in this world and break the barriers of what we have grown accustomed to. People can connect with Tris because of the emotional feelings and anxieties that can be related to through life’s journey The young character Tris also shows us that our traits are learned, not inherited. Your family will always be a part of your life, so embrace them and prosper from the way you were raised. You and every person around you are given the same amount of hours each day, so become the independent, successful individual that you want to be. “I feel like someone breathed new air into my lung. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. I am Divergent. [Roth, 442]”